Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in women worldwide and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are DNA viruses that infect and replicate in cutaneous and mucosal epithelia. High-risk mucosotropic HPV genotypes, including HPV16, HPV18 and HPV31, are associated with nearly all cervical cancers.
Head and neck cancer, which arises in mucosal epithelia lining various cavities in the head and neck region, such as the oral cavity and throat, is the sixth most common cancer in the United States with a survival rate of about 50%. 20-30% of head and neck cancers are associated with HPV; whereas the rest are linked to other risk factors, such as tobacco and alcohol.
The art, however, needs methods for predicting and diagnosing HPV, as well as diseases associated with HPV.